Examination gowns



Jan. 7, 1958 P. O'DONNELL EXAMINATION GQWNS Filed June 12, 1956 I III llllllloll mvsmon Pearl O'Donnell A'ITORMZYS United States Patent EXAMINATION GOWNS Pearl ODonnell, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application June 12, 1956, Serial No. 590,922 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-114) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in medical examination gowns.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved medical examination gown of such construction that it can be wrapped around each leg to afford complete pelvic examination with maximum coverage of the patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved medical examination gown having front and back openings extending from the shoulder or neckline to the hem for permitting complete chest, abdomen and back examinations, the gown being spread open at the exact position to be examined with the remainder of the body remaining covered.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved gown, of the character described, which has wide overlapping portions forming its front and back openings whereby ample coverage is assured and adjustment for large and small patients is readily permitted without the use of ties and fasteners.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Pig. 1 is a front elevational view of a medical examination gown constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the gown,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the gown, and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the numeral designates a medical examination gown embodying the principles of the invention and including a pair of longitudinal sections 11 and 12 of suitable cloth. Each section is substantially rectangular and is folded medially upon itself to form onehalf of the gown, the folded section being of greater length than width. As shown by the numeral 13, one end of each section is hemmed to form the transverse open bottom or lower end of the gown. The upper end of each section is stitched or otherwise secured to provide a transverse shoulder portion 14. A laterally-directed arm opening 15 is formed adjacent the shoulder portion by cutting and hemming each section as shown by the numeral 16.

The combined width of the sections 11 and 12 is greater than the width of the gown whereby the longitudinal margins 17 and 18, respectively, of said sections overlap each other. In fact, the overlap is such that the margins of each section overlap the shoulder portions 14 of the other section. Since the sections are identical and each has a pair of overlapping margins, longitudinal openings 19 and 20 are formed in both the front and rear sides of the gown (Figs. 1 and 2). The longitudinal openings extend throughout the length of the gown from the bottom hem 13 to the shoulder portions 14; however, said openings normally are closed due to the wide overlap of the margins 17 and 18 (Fig.4).

A neck opening 21 is provided at the upper end of the gown between the shoulder portions by cutting and binding a semi-circular recess 22 in the upper end of each margin 17 and 18 (Fig. 3). Due to the overlap of the margins, the recesses 22 register and the binding of the same serves to connect the sections to each other. Also, the margins extend beyond the neck opening 21 and are stitched or otherwise secured to the shoulder portion 14 of the other section. If desired, a tape or tie 23 may be stitched or otherwise secured to the upper portion of each outer margin 17 and extend transversely therefrom for maintaining the openings 19 and 20 closed when the gown is worn for purposes other than examination. It is noted, however, that the ties are unnecessary when the gown is used for its intended purpose.

Due to the wide overlap of the margins 17 and 18, the longitudinal sections 11 and 12 can be wrapped around the legs to permit complete pelvic examination while providing maximum coverage of the patient. Since the openings 19 and 20 extend from the neckline or shoulder portions 14 to the hem 13, complete chest, abdomen and back examinations are possible without completely uncovering the body. Also, the gown may be spread open at the exact position to be examined with the remainder of the body remaining covered. In addition to the wide overlap of the margins, the sections are relatively wide to assure ample coverage and permit adjustment for large and small patients without the use of ties or other fasteners.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, Within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A medical examination gown including two sheets of cloth folded upon themselves to form the longitudinal halves of a sheath, one end of each folded sheet being stitched to provide a transverse shoulder portion and having a lateral arm opening adjacent the shoulder portion, the sheets having overlapping longitudinal margins extending laterally to the shoulder portions of each other and providing a coextensive closed opening therebetween extending longitudinally from said shoulder portions to the opposite end of the sheath, the overlapping margins of said sheets having a neck opening in one end thereof between said shoulder portions and being stitched to each other at the neck opening and to said shoulder portions on each side of said neck opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 646,194 Sims Mar. 27, 1900 1,065,027 Budweiser June 17, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS 669,800 Great Britain Apr. 9, 1952 

